Sweet-Spicy Cucumbers over Tomatoes

Be sure to use pickling cucumbers, which are shorter and thinner-skinned than regular cucumbers. Though 4 days is the maximum, the longer the cucumbers marinate, the spicier and more garlicky they'll become.


INGREDIENTS:
2 cups thinly sliced pickling cucumber (about 2 cucumbers)
1 cup thinly sliced Vidalia or other sweet onion
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 whole dried red chiles
16 (1/4-inch-thick) slices tomato
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Arrange half of cucumber in a 9-inch pie plate. Top with half of onion. Repeat procedure with remaining cucumber and onion.

2. Combine vinegar and next 5 ingredients (vinegar through chiles) in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute or until sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally. Pour hot vinegar mixture over cucumber mixture. Cover and marinate in refrigerator 1 to 4 days.

3. Arrange tomato slices on a platter; sprinkle evenly with 1/8 teaspoon salt and black pepper. Remove cucumber mixture from marinade with a slotted spoon; arrange over tomato slices.



NUTRITIONAL INFO:
CALORIES 32 (6% from fat); FAT 0.2g (sat 0g, mono 0g, poly 0.1g); PROTEIN 0.8g; CARB 7.7g; FIBER 1g; CHOL 0mg; IRON 0.4mg; SODIUM 115mg; CALC 11mg

YIELD:
8 servings (serving size: 2 tomato slices and about 1/3 cup cucumber mixture)